Brandon Williams helps House Republicans authorize Biden impeachment inquiry

Washington – U.S. Rep. Brandon Williams voted with House Republicans today to authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, despite a lack of evidence to show misconduct by the president.

Williams, a first-term Republican who represents Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, joined a unanimous group of House Republicans who voted to formally authorize the inquiry.

The final vote was 221-212 along party lines, with all voting Democrats in opposition to the measure.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, a Republican whose district includes all of Cayuga County and most of Oswego County in Central New York, also voted to authorize the impeachment inquiry.

Williams defended his vote in a statement posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“It is a sad day that we must initiate this inquiry, but as I have said for months, the America people have a question: Is Joe Biden a crook?” Williams said. “This inquiry will help us get the answers. And will prevent Biden and his Admin from stonewalling investigations any further.”

Republicans have spent almost a year investigating the business dealings of Biden’s family members including his son, Hunter.

The investigations have raised ethical questions but found no evidence that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in eight previous years as vice president.

Before the vote, House Democrats called the impeachment inquiry a partisan political stunt aimed at hurting Biden in the 2024 election.

House Democrats also accused Republicans of using the inquiry to distract voters from former president Donald Trump’s criminal indictments.

Democratic-aligned groups have promised to make the impeachment inquiry an issue in the 2024 House elections, especially in the districts of vulnerable first-term members like Williams.

The Congressional Integrity Project this past week launched a digital ad campaign against Williams, calling into question his support for an impeachment inquiry “without a single shred of evidence the president did anything wrong.”

The group also paid for a billboard at 621 Brighton Ave. in Syracuse that encouraged Williams to vote against the impeachment inquiry.

Political analysts in Washington have consistently ranked Williams, who represents the 22nd Congressional District, among the 10 most vulnerable House members.

Williams is one of 17 Republicans who represent a district that Biden won in the 2020 election. Biden carried the 22nd District by more than 7 percentage points.

The 22nd District spans all of Onondaga, Madison and Oneida counties, and the southeastern tip of Oswego County.